Football team looks to make its mark

The Columbia Falls football team has some big shoes to fill, but coach Bill Coleman said this year's team has the ability to rise to the occasion.

"We have a good group of kids," said the second-year coach. "We're trying to replace some stellar athletes."

The team lost all-state players Mitchell Wassam, Kelly Houle and Mike Macijunas to graduation. Wassam was the team's quarterback.

Houle and Macijunas were linemen and Coleman admits the line this year will have to learn quickly.

"That's the place where we have to grow up the fastest," he said.

If the team gets a little blocking, however, they could prove to be very tough. Basketball standout Austin Barth, a junior, will get the nod at quarterback, while Chris King and Nate Thompson will anchor the backfield for the Cats.

The squad will also rely on returning players Kaleb Johnson, Cole and Daniel Jones, Cal Vukonich and Devyn Rocker to name a few.

Johnson averaged almost 22 yards a reception last season and Vukonich had a great summer season playing tight end. Many of this team's core players have attended camps over the summer, including a full-contact camp in Missoula against several other class A teams.

The team started practice in full pads earlier this week after running drills for three days straight twice a day.

"I'm impressed with the way the kids have come together," Coleman said.

The Cats start out the year with four non-conference matchups. It's a schedule Coleman likes.

"It's kind of like pre-season. It gives us a chance to make a lot of adjustments," he said. "We'll have a solid football team by the time the conference schedule starts."

Any predictions?

Coleman said the conference this year is "wide open." Polson, which had the best record last year, lost some key players to graduation as did Ronan. Last year the team made it to the second round of the state playoffs, losing to Butte Central. They finished 7-4 overall.

Coleman is assisted by Kelly Houle Sr., Shaun Forrest, Jamie Heinz, John Thompson and former player Quenton Hegel. This year's freshmen team will be a combined "froshmore" team, with freshmen and sophomores on the squad.

The season opens at 7 p.m. at home against Stevensville Aug. 27.

This year's schedule also has a twist — a Thursday night game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 9 against Browning. That change was made because there were concerns about having an officiating crew available for a Friday night game that weekend. In order to make sure there would be enough officials, they moved the game to Thursday.